'I gotta get in there somehow' – Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce eyeing 2028 Summer Olympics participation
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes isn't the only player on the team eyeing a shot to play for a Gold Medal in the 2028 Summer Olympics. Chiefs TE Travis Kelce revealed on the New Heights Show his desire to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will welcome flag football as a sport for the first […]
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes isn't the only player on the team eyeing a shot to play for a Gold Medal in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce revealed on the New Heights Show his desire to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will welcome flag football as a sport for the first time. Some challenges exist to that thought from the multi-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.
While NFL owners approved players' ability to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics, flag football players are pushing back. Darrell Doucette III, quarterback of the United States National Team, is one of the more outspoken players against NFL players cutting in to play flag football in the Olympics.
The other problem is that Kelce will be 38 years old during the 2028 Summer Olympics, so playing in games might not be in his future. Travis clarified in this conversation that he's looking to participate by any means necessary, even if it means taking on what would be an entirely new role for him.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce wants to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics, but maybe not in the way you might think
"I've got to get hip to the rules, so I can get ahead of the curve," Travis said about participating in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The key here is that Travis doesn't know much about flag football and its rules. He also didn't know how Olympic participants would be selected. The comment prompted Jason Kelce to mention some pushback against NFL players participating, and Travis said, "May the best players play."
Jason read Travis the following quote from Darrell Doucette III: “This is a sport that we’ve played for a long time, and we feel like we are the best at it, and we don’t need other guys."
“Is this guy afraid of competition?” Travis said. “Just have a tryout, and the best players make the team."
Jason's solution was to have an NFL All-Star team face a Flag Football All-Star team, and whichever team wins will represent the USA.
"He’s just boxing out other people from joining the sport because they haven’t played this specific style of football?”
Later in the episode, they returned to the conversation with NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, who coached for Team Canada and won a gold medal in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. He played in the Olympics in Japan in 1998, but didn't win it as a player. Gretzky encouraged Travis to participate if he got the chance by any means necessary, whether coaching or playing.
“My point is: If you get asked to be on the flag football team, do it," Gretzky said. "You’re going to love it.”
“Even if I’m just like an assistant coach or something,” Travis said. “I gotta get in there somehow."
"It's the greatest thrill being part of the Olympic Games that you're ever going to have," Gretzky said. "I mean, it truly will be, if you get a chance to play, if they ask you to play, do not turn it down. Trust me. And stay in the village. It's overwhelming."
Could Travis coach in the 2028 Olympics? Whether playing or coaching the game, he'll certainly have some work to do.
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